THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • CAR REVIEW | Abarth 695C Rivale

    CAR REVIEW | Abarth 695C Rivale

     ★★★★☆ | Abarth 695C Rivale

    Carlo and Carlo Called, They’ve Made A Car For You.

    What Have We Got?

    Abarth has been giving us magical Fiat 500’s for over 10 years now and you wonder how, a car that is over a decade old, can still be relevant in the ever-changing A-segment city car section.

    The answer is to make it good in the first place. Once you’ve done that, the development and evolutions can be kept to a minimum.  

    The Rivale has come about by joining Carlos Abarth, he who took small Fiats and made them fast, and Carlos Riva, he who made special boats, together to make one special city car with an eye-watering price to match. 

    Driving

    Oh my word, where do you start. For a car with older underpinnings, it manages to do two things. Puts the power down and still be entertaining to drive. And it is.

    There is an abundance of torque steer and when it gets charging, it is a fighter. If it was there all the time, it would tire you out. Thankfully, in commuter mode, it is easy to live with. Put your foot down and… (screams)

    And you are fighting with the steering wheel while trying to keep it in a straight line and all this with the roof open and the engine barking and snarling.   

    Inside

    Abarth UK opted for the standard carbon fibre trim. I don’t like it. The mahogany option is a better option and more in keeping with Riva’s ethos of something special. It’s a big piece of wood.

    The rest is pretty much standard 500 except for the blue leather trim and the numbered plaque screwed into the trim by the handbrake. What that lacks in finesse for a special car costing over £25k, it makes up for by being quite endearing. 

    Sadly what hasn’t been altered is the infotainment system. For a car that is a decade old, this really is showing signs of age.

    Living With It

    Millions of 500s have been sold. As a city car, these are just perfect. The boot is small and in the C model, even smaller. You learn to live with the small box in the rear. Likewise, you live with the torque steer fight you have when you stomp your foot on the loud pedal.

    You put up with a lot in the 695 C Rivale and yet you never think you wished you’d bought something else. Very few cars these days are as engaging to drive as they are to look at on the drive and this still has it.

    The Verdict

    It is ridiculously expensive. There are other Fiat and Abarth models with no roof for considerably less and if I’m blunt almost as much fun. 

    Sometimes fun just isn’t enough. Sometimes fun is just a drive to the shops with Graham Norton on the radio. What we have here then is a howling mixture of fun ramped up to the max that really is barking mad and there just isn’t much in this segment that can match it for thrills and spills. 

    And with the roof open, everyone around you will hear you laughing (or screaming) before they see the car and you can’t really put a price on that.

    Love

    Sounds

    Open top

    Torque steer

    Loathe

    Carbon fibre dashboard

    Price

    Infotainment system

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Abarth 695C Rivale

    Price – £25,390 (as tested)

    MPG – 47.1mpg (combined)

    Power – 180HP @ 5000rpm

    0-62mph –  6.9 seconds

    Top Speed – 140 mph

    Co2 – 139 (g/km)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    ★★★★★ | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    There’s a hidden gem of a restaurant right at the doorstep of the old BBC studios in Shepherd’s Bush that’s still a bit undiscovered but well worth the effort to seek out.

    The restaurant is Wellbourne Brasserie, and the food is really really delicious, and very very unique. One look at the menu and you will understand why; you’ll know you’re in for something very different and very satisfying.

    Wellbourne Brasserie is steps away from the White City tube stop of the Central Line, which is also steps away from the western end of Westfield Shopping mall and the new John Lewis megastore. The trendy new Soho House is right down the street, as is the new buzzy Bluebird Cafe. But I recommend you continue walking up Wood Lane, past White City tube station, where you’ll see a small park and just beyond that park is Wellbourne Brasserie in a building complex called Westworks that still houses some BBC offices. There are some other cafes in this complex (Feast is one of them), as well as a Starbucks across the way, but it’s Wellbourne Brasserie that will want to be your destination.

    It’s well worth the visit for the food. I want to go back to re-experience eating the Vol-au-vents. They are small stuffed puff pastries, and for the bargain price of 3 for £6, you can have one each which include broad beans, ewe’s cheese & mint, salt cod brandade, and pulled lamb shoulder with violet mustard. They’re so unlike anything you’ve ever tasted; cooked with care and eaten with love – highly recommended. Me and my dining companion, in between sips of glasses of their refreshing Aperol Spritz (£6), asked each other ‘how can they top this?” Well, they did. The mussels, 15 for a mere £8, were served in a big bowl with two large pieces of sourdough toasted bread with vinaigrette dressing, were a mussels lovers dream. Also very good was the Lyonnaise Salade which came with a hen’s egg, bacon, and a divine dijon mustard vinaigrette – for only £7.50 a delicious starter. We also ordered ‘La Latteria’ burrata with white asparagus – it was a mozzarella and cream blob, and if that’s your thing, you will enjoy it (£8).

    I’m not exaggerating when I say I had the best duck I’ve ever had. Their duck leg confit is smashingly served over crushed apple and green lentils in a large bowl where I absolutely savoured every bite. The dish looked gorgeous and tasted even better. And for only £12, it’s perhaps the best bargain on the menu. My dining companion was very satisfied with her Whole lemon sole, which came with sea vegatables. The sole is boned, its a very light dish, and perhaps a bit pricey (£17), but with delicious and large sides of spinach (£3) and green asparagus (£6), she, and me, were fine. But It was the duck that spoke, not the sole, and it spoke wonderfully!

    Wellbourne Brasserie has an amazingly extensive wine list, too large to mention here. However, our courses were paired with the perfect wines. Our first wine was the lively white Australian Berton Vineyard wine – perfectly smooth, see-through – making it very light, and an excellent choice. With our mains, again I was elated with the Rose Groot Constantia from South Africa, as I didn’t fancy red so this rose was a perfect match, as was the Red Colomba Bianca which my dining companion highly enjoyed with her fish. I would be remiss if I left out dessert. We had the amazingly delicious and fresh Lemon Leaf Sorbet (£4) – a nice way to finish off our meal. If you prefer something a bit more substantial I say go for Summer pudding or the Dolce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwich (both £6).

    The team behind Wellbourne Brasserie have over 30 years experience running a restaurant. Ross Gibbens was most recently head chef of the popular Dabbous while Michael Kennedy comes from Bristol’s popular Wallfish Bistro. Between both of them, and an amazingly nice staff, both front and back of house, bring to us a restaurant, while minimalist in decor but at the same time sharp and clean, food that is cooked with care and that tastes absolutely wonderful. Wellbourne Brasserie is a quality dining experience in a relaxed brasserie atmosphere at reasonable prices. I hope the locals, and others, find this hidden gem as it offers an excellent alternative to the many chain and fast food restaurants at the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre.

    https://wellbourne.restaurant/whitecity/

    Westworks Building, 195 Wood Lane,
    London, W12 7FQ
    Telephone 0203 4174865
    Monday – Friday 11.30am-10pm
    Saturday – 11.30am-9pm
    Sunday – Closed

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Up GTi

    CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Up GTi

    ★★★★☆Volkswagen Up GTi 

    Up and GTi Away 

    What Have We Got?

    Volkswagen would have you believe that the Up is the successor to the original Golf GTi. In some ways it is. Its dimensions, kerb weight and performance align with those of the original 76 Golf. Golf is now too big to be as delicate as it once was. And Polo is also too big. So the Up now fills the void for a small, buzzy, fun machine to wear the GTi badge. But does this answer the critics who bemoan about the lack of a raw feeling GTi from VW?

    Driving

    There is something about the Up GTi that gets your pulse racing before you turn the key. Delicate red markings on the body and the GTi badges are very evident, likewise so too is the tartan type fabric from the original GTi that is now fitted to all VW GTi models.

    Turn the key and the rorty little 1 litre 3-cylinder engine bursts into life. It contains 115PS. It might not sound a lot, but it sure does know how to use it. The controls are light and precise and the six gears are well spaced even if 6th really is longer legged than necessary for such a small car.  

    What it all makes for is a very engaging car and though it will max out at 122mph, it really is a great back road buzz box. It’ll do 70 in third and that’s rather useful. The only downside is the traction control system can’t be switched off. However, that doesn’t mean you can wheel spin the front wheels from a standstill.

    Inside

    The seat fabric aside, the Up to me is only ruined by the red and black facia panel. I didn’t like this and for a small car with cheap feel, it felt like it cheapened it.

    Now don’t let the cheapness put you off. This is a new VW GTi for £14,000. It’s the lightness that makes it feel the more special in capturing the GTi magic of old. Remember, the original was a trendsetter and well built. The Up betters it but retains some of the raw light elements. That doesn’t, however, mean the doors twang when you shut them. It still sounds like a Golf.

    Living With It

    This Up GTi came in 5 door guise. There is more than enough room for 4 and a reasonable sized boot with a height-adjustable boot floor. 

    The dashboard layout is clear and visible and the ergonomics are perfect. Rear door trims lack the visual joys of those on the front with the absence of body trim.  

    The inability to switch the traction control off does mean it’s always a little bit too safe. Its limits are high and the fun factor even higher, it’s just a shame you can’t fully exploit it to its fullest. 

    The Verdict

    (C) STUART M BIRD

    You can see why many before have raved about it, I love it. It’s quite raw in places and that’s a good thing. That rawness adds to the feel of it being lighter and quicker than it actually is and let us not think this is slow. With a 0-60 time of 8.8, it’ll keep up with an original Mk 1 Golf GTi. In actual fact, there are many areas that this is similar to the original. It’s like VW have resurrected the original from the ashes of yesteryear and I am happy.

    Love

    Rawness

    Lightness

    Entertaining to hurry

    Loathe

    Dashboard facia trim

    6th gear is too tall

    No traction control switch

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Volkswagen Up GTi 115PS

    Price – £16,655 (as tested)

    MPG – 58.9mpg (combined)

    Power – 115PS

    0-62mph –  8.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  122 mph

    Co2 – 110 (g/km)

  • 10 best places to eat in Key West

    10 best places to eat in Key West

    If you’re looking for places to eat Key West has a huge array of restaurants, cafes and bars all servicing delicious food.

    FitzFox / Pixabay

    Without a doubt. seafood is the mainstay of Island eating – but there’s a fusion that happens at many of Key West‘s restaurants. There’s a strong Carribean and Latin influence, thanks to the Keys’ geographical location. Boatloads of trawlers ensure daily arrival of fresh fish. Vegetarians, vegans, meat eaters and pizza lovers won’t be disappointed by what’s on offer as well.

    There are over 300 restaurants listed for Key West, but here are just 10 of our favourites.

    Bagatelle (115 Duval Street, FL 33040)

    Go to Bagatelle for the ultimate in people watching and the best mojito on the island. Be sure to book first and ask for a seat on the veranda on the second floor. There you’ll be able to watch the streams of people who are on the strip below as the island’s night scene comes to life. Slip your ice-cold cocktail as live music drifts from a nearby venue. Heaven. https://bagatellekw.com/

    Island House (1129 Fleming Street, FL 33040)

    Island House is one of the gay-go-tos on Key West. The food is of good quality, but the real reason you’ll stay is for the poolside view, as you chow down on your club sandwich. Island House resort has a clothing optional policy for its guests.  Sip a cocktail while checking out the local talent. https://islandhousekeywest.com/

    The Flaming Buoy (1100 Packer Street, FL 33040)

    If going gay is your policy then The Flaming Buoy should be on your list of places to eat. It opens nightly at 6 PM. This highly rated eatery offers Key specials including the fresh catch, pan seared with banana salsa ($28) or the red Thai curry with grilled Key West pink shrimp.

    Hot Tin Roof for Sunday Brunch. ( 1 Duvall Street)

    One more absolutely gay thing to do is Sunday brunch at the Hot Tin Roof. This is one of Key Voices Magazine’s must do’s. Author Greg informs us, “my FAVORITE meal there is Sunday brunch. The indoor/outdoor dining venue offers delightful ocean views and unlimited small plates a la carte (no buffet lines for me, thank you!)”.

    A word to the wise, arrive hungry and make your reservation a COUPLE OF MONTHS in advance. The set price is $49 and includes a full Bloody Mary bar and bottomless mimosas!

    Bien (1000 Eaton Street, FL 33040)

    Bien is the highest rated restaurant on Key West according to Trip Advisor. It serves a fusion of Latin and Caribbean food with good vegetarian options. Best still it’s well priced. Average prices are between £3 and £12 for a dish.

    Duetto Pizza and Gelato (540 Greene Street FL 33040)

    According to Trip Advisor, there’s only one place to get pizza in Key West, and that’s over at Duetto Pizza and Gelato on 540 Green Street. It’s a small place and is famed for its pizza, which you can eat in, takeout or even get delivered. At the time of publishing, It has amassed over 2300 reviews with 94 percent of them rated as Excellent or Very Good. It’s cheap too, at $20 for a margarita to share (6 big slices in total) you really can’t go wrong.

    Azur Restaurant (425 Grinnell Street, FL 33040)

    There’s a special deal at this gay-owned restaurant, get 50 percent off your food if you join them for dinner from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM. Here you can experience Mediterranean specialities in the comfort of the shaded terrace or from the newly renovated dining room. Find out more: https://www.azurkeywest.com/

    Nine One Five Restaurant and Bar (915 Duvall Street FL 33040)

    If you’re looking for Tapas, there’s only one option 915. It is one of the sister restaurants to Bagatelle, mentioned above. The menu is stuffed with wonderful, well-priced options and you can eat on the typical Key West style veranda. Brendan Orr, the restaurant’s executive chef, has called Key West his home for 20 years and is famous locally for his New Island cuisine, described as “an artful combination of fresh local fare, Caribbean spices, Asian influences and French technique”. Yum!

    Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen And Bar (7001 Shrimp Road Drive, FL 33040)

    Although technically not on Key West, it’s one Key over; we couldn’t help but include Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen and Bar. The food is sensational and the service excellent. Try the Black Grouper one of the restaurant’s specialities and get some Cornbread Mash – it’s to die for. Follow with their sublime and traditional Key Lime Pie. Find out more: https://www.perrykeywest.com/eat-and-drink/matts-stock-island

    Better Than Sex (926 Simonton Street, FL 33040)

    What is better than sex? Dessert. Always. One reviewer on Google wrote,  “Is it really better than sex, though? It had me moaning, groaning, and saying phrases like, “Oh my God”. So, it has got to be close!” With infamous names like The Klimax, The Slip Inside and The Money Shot, we know where we’re retiring after our meal, and it isn’t the bedroom.

     

    Where to stay?

    The Equator Resort offers the perfect gay away and offers rooms from as little as $159 per night.

  • CAR REVIEW | Hyundai i30N

    CAR REVIEW | Hyundai i30N

    ★★★★★ Hyundai i30N – The wild child

    What Have We Got

    Hyundai have quite the Motorsport pedigree, particularly in rallying. They’ve made some pretty tasty toad cars too, remember the Hyundai Coupe? This is one of the latest fast Hyundai’s, the i30N. It’s a 2.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged 247bhp, popping, banging, hard edged hot hatch.

    This is a serious car, in race mode, it is a single-minded weapon, very capable, yet in normal mode, it’s a pussycat. It’ll take you to Waitrose to do the weekly shop, put a smile on your face on the daily commute or let you thrash it around any race track you can think of all day long.

    Driving

    If I said it’s an exhilarating drive it would be an understatement. Hyundai have gone to town with multi-link rear suspension, electronic differential, extra strengthening of the chassis and electronically adjustable suspension. That means at the press of a button it transforms from a fast but subtle hatch in to a serious tool for going fast. The change is dramatic, very firm suspension and man it sticks to the road. It’s a superb drivers car. One of our all time favourites. Where a focus ST would be spinning wheels and understeering, this i30N is manic, single minded, and very very good.

    Inside

    The car has a high level of standard equipment with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Qi wireless charging and several USB charging ports. There’s a 5-inch centre infotainment screen with sat nav and a host of safety features as you would expect on a modern car; from high beam assist, to lane-keep assist, collision and driver attention warnings, plus camera-assisted speed limit warning and more.

    The interior is very cool. Solid, well built with quality materials and supportive bucket seats.  Choose your drive mode with the button beside the ‘N’ steering wheel; Normal, Eco, Sport modes, and enjoy. You could always opt for race mode if you really want to have fun.

    Living with it

    In race mode, the i30N is pretty extreme and I don’t think I could live with it every day. Good job you don’t have to. In normal or comfort mode it really is a pussycat and a real pleasure to drive. This car feels like an extension of you. There’s good visibility, it’s practical and not bad on fuel if you take it easy. You don’t attract too much attention, just the right amount, and where brand image may have been an issue a few years ago, you don’t need to worry now, you’ll get admiring looks wherever you go in the i30N.

     

    The Verdict

    The Ford Focus ST is the go to in this sector but doesn’t come close to the i30N as a driver’s car.

    With the electronic suspension and drivers modes, you really can have your cake and eat it. Soften it up for the daily commute and at the press of a button, it’s popping and banging when you lift off and acting like a track car on the road. It’s fantastic to drive. This is the 250ps version but there is an even wilder version; the i30N performance, with 275ps and even more toys.

    Loves

    Performance

    Awesome Chassis

    Brilliant manual gearbox

    Loathes

    Too conservatively styled?

    Can’t help myself misbehave

    People still buy Focus ST’s!!

    Lowdown
    Car – Hyundai i30N 250
    Price – From £25,760
    MPG – 39.8 mpg
    0-62 – 6.4s
    Power – 247 bhp – 353 Nm torque
    Top Speed – 155 mph

  • New gay and inclusive rugby club opens in Devon

    New gay and inclusive rugby club opens in Devon

    A rugby club has been set up in Exeter for LGBT+ people who want to play rugby in Devon and Cornwall.

    The Westcountry Wasps RFC was set up by Andy Smith, a straight man from Exeter and Ryan Cook, a gay man who is a Special Constable for the Devon and Cornwall police.

    The Exeter based team will be the first of its kind in Devon and Cornwall, aiming to be a welcoming and uplifting environment for players of all sexual orientations and experience levels.The team will promote community spirit, equality, and diversity in LGBT+ players while committing to England Rugby core values of; Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, and Sportsmanship. The team will welcome new members to taster sessions in Exeter and Plymouth this month before regular training sessions begin.

    Andy Smith, one of the clubs founders is a straight man from Exeter and played for an inclusive team, the Manchester Village Spartans for 10 years. About forming the new club, he said;

    “Seeing how rugby can change lives through new experiences, new relationships, new social groups, and how that can change attitudes has really made an impression on me. I want other people to enjoy the same experiences and make the same great friends I’ve had.”

    Ryan Cook, a special police Constable for Devon & Cornwall Police, started playing rugby at the age of 11, and has refereed for Cornwall RFU at County and Federation levels and is delighted to be a founding member of Westcountry Wasps RFC.

    He hopes to “bring together players that have never played before for fear of homophobia and allow them to thrive in a social scene of the club”.

    The club founders are keen to hear from anyone who wants to meet new people, make friends, get some exercise and get involved in sport. Free taster sessions will be held on Oct 13 in Exeter and Oct 20 in Plymouth where you can find out why thousands of men are joining inclusive rugby teams up and down the country.

    To find out more about Westcountry Wasps RFC and the taster sessions, please visit bit.ly/westwaspsrfc

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    ★★★☆☆Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Cat with Soft Bite

    What Have We Got?

    Jaguar has taken the small luxury SUV market head-on with their new E-Pace. Launched last year to much spectacle in London, where on its debut it entered the Guinness World Records with a 15.3-meter, 270-degree barrel roll even before its launch. A year later and with cars available, The Gay UK finally gets to taste the 250 petrol HSE R-Dynamic model.

    Driving

    One thing you become aware of pretty quickly is that the F-Pace can cover ground quickly. That 250PS 2 litre engine spins happily through its rev range while taking with it its 365 max of torque from 1200 to 4500 rpm through its 4WD automatic drive train. Once on the move that is. For the sporty model in the range, there was a noticeable delay when you pushed the throttle into the carpet. It might be seconds but those are vital seconds.

    With power and speed, comes great responsibility and one thing you want is to rapidly decrease speed. My biggest gripe was the brakes. The ABS did a great job and there was no evidence of lockup, even for a moment. That said, they lacked the bite you’d expect for a sporty model.   

    Inside

    The interior options for the E-Pace R-Dynamic are few and far between with 3 choices of leather colour. The press cars grey exterior with red leather worked well. And the options fitted to the car covered most bases particularly the heated seats and steering wheel.

    Door architecture worked well and the illuminations around were welcomed in breaking up huge expanse with lights, leather and brushed aluminium. It all added to the premium feel that you expect from Jaguar

    What didn’t work for me was the main piece of plastic that forms the facia. Its saving grace was that it was of smooth plastic. It lacks a lot of tactility and felt cheap in an otherwise expensive cabin. 

    Living With It

    It’s an easy car to live with and I found ‘comfort’ mode was best suited to most of my driving needs. There is space for all inside despite its dinky size and it’s reasonably comfortable. Long drives result in a refreshed arrival. There is plenty to play with on-route. 

    Pushing it hard caused the engine to roar in an unnecessary kind of way and it’s not really something you want to try too often.  

    Hurried driving also caused the tyre to vocalise their abundance of grip to all around you. I shouldn’t encourage this but I rather liked it. 

    The Verdict

    There is a lot to recommend about the E-Pace. The finish is good and there are some nice options like the £310 ‘activity key’ wristband. It’s a great first effort into this segment for Jaguar, it just needs to be a little bit better.

     

    Loves

    Door architecture

    Ability to cruise quietly

    Convinces available in the options. (Though some are expensive)

     

    Loathe

    Brakes lack bite

    Throttle response

    facia trim

     

    The Lowdown

    Car – Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Price – £50,995 (as tested)

    MPG – 36.7mpg (combined)

    Power – 250ps @ 5500rpm

    0-62mph –  6.6 seconds

    Top Speed –  143 mph

    Co2 – 174 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic Diesel Automatic

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic Diesel Automatic

    Hondamatic For A New Generation.

    What Have We Got?

    It seems Honda has listened to the motoring world and come up with a new automatic gearbox. Not just any 3 step box of old the Hondamatic days, or CVT (continuously variable transmission) that is the system much derided by all, but a bonafide 9-speed auto. Here we test it in the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC diesel hatchback.

    Driving

    It worked well in the 120ps diesel Civic hatchback it was fitted in. It wasn’t hunting for any of its 9 gears during the test run around Droitwich. 

    The first thing you notice is a lack of gear stick. Honda has opted for the more and more popular choice of push buttons. You’ll find yourself in a yes and no situation as to liking it. In practice, it works well and there are shift pedals on the steering wheel though chances are you won’t really rely on them because the car choices the gears quite rapidly.

    The Verdict

    It’s a nice gearbox and smooth all the way up and down the gears. The push button selector could put some people off. If I have any gripes, it will be that I’d like to see the P (park) button a bit bigger and in red. In a car full of black plastic, it just isn’t bold enough. And for those used to driving automatics, you’ll understand the importance of park.  

    So finally there is an automatic gearbox from Honda that we can recommend. It works well in most situations. Long may it roll out to the entire range of Honda cars.

    Civic diesel Automatics start at £21,915 for the SE model.

  • The reason why you should have a first aid kit in your car

    The reason why you should have a first aid kit in your car

    MEDIC!

    Pixel-mixer / Pixabay FILE PHOTO

    I was put in the unenviable position the other week of attending a road traffic accident. There I was driving to work at 7.15am when l noticed some cars badly parked on a particularly nasty corner. A chap waving his arms, drawing attention to motorists to slow down.

    When I had turned the corner l could see why. A silver coupe had literally driven headfirst into an oak tree. Oak trees if you don’t know, are very unforgiving to the motor vehicle. There wasn’t much left of the car and the shunt had pushed the dashboard quite some way into the passenger space.

    As a registered nurse and signed up with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), we are expected to stop and offer assistance. At the time of my arrival, there were bystanders and witnesses but no emergency services. And no one was attending the injured driver of the car who was sitting in the driver’s seat with their legs out.

    I approached the driver and on the assessment, I noticed they had the left tibia bone sticking through their jeans. There was some blood but it wasn’t a huge amount, though it was enough to soak the bottom 3” of their jeans. Their pulse was good at 90 beats per minute. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t slow. Pupils were not dilated and they did have feeling in their lower limbs. They were also able to talk.

    Now, this was all I could do. Offer comfort to the driver, keep them talking, keep them as calm as you could and keep them as still as possible. I didn’t know if there were other injuries though l suspect there was something not right with their pelvis for they were complaining about some pain. Adrenaline had kicked in and thankfully despite them saying “I’m dying” which they were not, they were not in immediate danger yet.

    I did keep an eye on that left leg. Kneeling down by their side I was aware that my knees could be inches from a pool of blood. And if there was, what would I do?

    Now here lays the problem. I might be a nurse but I am not a first aider. I do know how to bandage though. I know that with a protruding bone and blood loss, that a dressing should be applied to slow down the bleed.

    However, if I had rummaged through the boot of my car, what would I find? A warning triangle and 2 Hi-Viz jackets. All 4 of mine have them. I don’t keep bandages in the cars. In actual fact I have a first aid kit at home, I don’t keep one in the cars. I drive so many. If this had happened 8 years ago when I was community-based, I’d have had something suitable in the car that I could use.

    It isn’t a legal requirement to keep a first aid kit in the car and I am now wondering why we don’t?  Some German cars like Mercedes came with them in a neat space in the rear parcel shelf. We recently looked over one and one thing I did notices was it was all out of date. And by some years for that. Now, this is just one of the problems with a first aid kit, expiry dates.

    And so it got me thinking about this vital piece of kit that I could have used on the driver of the crashed car. First aid kits are not expensive. A rather comprehensive one I found was £10.43. They are worth having, if not for use on others, but in the event if you or a cherished one require more than just a sticking plaster.

    Chances are you might not want to get someone else’s blood on you, or you might not even know what to do when faced with an injury, but chances are, someone around you might. That box of bandages could just help in that situation. And trying to stop blood loss is sometimes better than doing nothing at all.

    So guess what I am buying 4 of tonight?

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Delicatessen, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Delicatessen, London

    ★★★★| Delicatessen, London

    Walking up Roslyn Hill towards Hampstead Heath tube station you’ll walk by a restaurant that’s always full, and why? Because the food is delicious and the portions are huge!

    Delicatessen, open since 2010, is modern Middle Eastern/Israeli cuisine at excellent prices. This neighbourhood restaurant, which was totally full (include the outside tables) on a Wednesday night that we went, has filled a gap for food of this very high quality and taste in this area.

    Chef Or Golan, who has worked in some of Tel Aviv’s most popular restaurants, was most recently a head chef in one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s self-titled restaurants.

    The food at Delicatessen is influenced by Golan’s Moroccan and Lebanese grandparents, so what is cooked straight from the kitchen and sent directly to your table is a mish-mash of extreme flavour & tastes that are bold and wonderful.

    The Sashimi grade bluefin tuna starter was a feast for the eyes and the tongue. Chunks of tuna served with fennel, avocado, anchovies and bits of bruschetta, among many other herbs and spices, are included in this massively huge dish, and at only £12, it’s a steal. Also good value for the money also delicious to boot is the Golden Cauliflower with tahini and smoked Chilli. It was served very warm and soft, oven-baked, and was a huge mound for a mere £8.

    As if we hadn’t enough food in our starters, our mains were even larger!

    My dining companion’s Ras el hanut Lamb Chops were definitely too big for his, or anyone else’s, stomach! Five large chops are served over bulgar wheat, sprinkled with lavender and various greens, and one certainly gets what you pay for (£33). What was missing was any form of sauce, as the wheat became dry – perhaps applesauce would’ve gone perfectly with the lamb. My Old Jaffa Lamb Kebabs were very good. Served with tahini, sehug spice and baby vegetables, three very large and long kebabs were nicely cooked and delicious. The dish could’ve used some starch – perhaps a few potatoes or bulgar wheat, but it was very filling for its £24 price tag.

    What took me and my friend for a loop was the Kadaif tower dessert. Yes, it was a tower and served with strawberries and cream. What is a kadaif you ask? It’s shredded filo dough, and in this dish there is cream in the middle that makes it look and feel like a sandwich. And it was superb – and large – and did I mention extremely delicious? And at £8.50, it’s a no-brainer choice for dessert. We also shared the Handmade Moroccan cigars (basically baklava), filled with nuts, and served with an amazing tasting mint tea. But it was the Kadaif that was memorable, amazing and wow!

    Please have the wonderful Instant B Cotes de Provence Rosé wine with your meal, it’s wet, with a flowery taste that goes well with the fish and meats served on the menu. Or you can have one of Delicatessen’s speciality drinks, including the Msc mule, which was vodka and ginger ale and was very very good.

    The menu at Delicatessen is just simply amazing. And while the prices aren’t cheap cheap, it’s the amount of food given that’s generous. We sat next to a table of two who had ordered the Mixed Grill – it was actually a mound of meat, with chicken thighs, kebabs, lamb chops, mergues & rib eye steak all for a wonderful price of £75. It appeared they could not finish it, and I am sure the took the rest home with them which probably fed them for a few more days. I will order this next time I go to Delicatessen.

    With an amazingly knowledgeable and nice staff, very good food, large portions, all in a nicely remixed from the hustle and bustle location – what’s not to like? I’m definitely looking forward to my next visit to Delicatessen – it’s that mound of meat that I’ll make an attempt at – can’t wait!

    Home

    Location:

    46 Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead
    London NW3 1NH, UK

    020 7700 5511

    Hours

    Sun-Thu • 12:00 – 23:00

    Fri • Closed

    Sat • 18:00 – 23:00

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    ★★★★☆ | Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    What Have We Got?

    Hot on the heels of our Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC hatchback review, we get the newly launched Civic 1.6 i-DTEC saloon. In showrooms burgeoning with SUV’s and dwindling choices of saloons, Honda comes right at you with a new offering in a market that is almost forgotten and a free for all for those who want a 3 box booted vehicle. 

     If you miss the Accord and wished for its return then your dreams have come true. In the real world, it fits nicely where the old Accord would have fitted if not in the Passat segment of car anymore where it once was. 

    Driving

    Here is where the main differences are. Despite all the performance figures looking the same for the diesel engines, the saloon puts its power down in a totally different way making for a more relaxed driving experience. Whereas I had moaned about the speed in which the engine revved to its redline in the hatchback, in the saloon, it seems more leisurely and I like it. It makes for a much more relaxed cruiser.

    Some would moan about this-this because it feels so markedly different. And then you factor in a softer ride. Very soft in comparison to the hatchback. Again something I wished the hatchback was before you press the sports button. 

    Inside

    There is very little to differentiate between the new saloon and hatchback. If I have to be really picky it is what is, or isn’t there under the rear parcel shelf. Again trim and paint appear to be missing leaving exposed speaker wires and unpainted metalwork. 

    As is standard with the hatchback, there is an abundance of black and all controls are identical.

    Living With It

    As I’ve said, the engine and soft ride bring a whole new experience to the Civic saloon that is very different in character to the hatchback.  

    It’s also an attractive looking car. It also cuts through the air better than the hatchback by giving you 3mpg more for no more than 130mm in length. Admittedly these are Honda’s unrealistic combined figures of 83+ miles to the gallon.

    And let’s not forget the boot capacity. From 478 litres, the saloon has an easy to access 519 and that’s before you fold down the 50/50 rear seats. It makes the saloon a very attractive alternative to the hatchback and other hatchbacks. Its size credentials making a case for its space in the showroom

    The Verdict

    Once again Honda presents you with a car that no one can dislike though many might choose to ignore because of that booted rear end. And that in itself is a shame because this really is a delightful car and one that needs to be looked at if you are in the market for a relaxing drive with no dramas and that drama includes wondering if that flat-packed chest of draws will fit the boot. It will. 

    Love

    Looks

    Boot space

    Build quality

    Loathe

    Lack of trim under the rear parcel shelf

    Unrealistic fuel figures

    Heating controls

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    Price – £ 23,115 (as tested)

    MPG – 83.1 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120 ps

    0-62mph –  10.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  125 mph

    Co2 – 91 (g/km)